Fob knitting machines



Jan. 15, 1929. I 1,699,390

- A. CRAWFORD STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov.23, 1926 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 r; U 11 00 V Jan. 15, 1929. 1,699.39()

A. CRAWFORD STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov.23, 1926 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 1,699,390 A. CRAWFORD STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Novas, 1926 10 Sheets-sheet 5 Jan. 15, 1929.

1,699,390 A. CRAWFORD I STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nbv.23, 1925 10 Sheets-$heet 4 Jan. 15, 1929. 1,699,390

A. CRAWFORD TOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES I Filed Nov.23, 1926 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 15, was I A. CRAWFORD STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed NW. 23, 1926 10 Shams-Sheet 6 Jan.

15, 1929v 1,599,390 A. CRAWFORD STOP MOTIOIx FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov.23, 1926 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 Jam 15, 192. 1. ww ggm A. QRAVVFDRE STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov.23, 1926 10 sheew'zs fiheet 8 gfl/ fl a A Jan. 929.

1,699,390 A. CRAWFORD STOP-MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov.25, 1926 10 Sheets-sheet 9 Jan. 15, 1929.

1,699,390 A. CRAWFORD STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MAC IHINES Filed Nov.23, 1926 10 Sheets-Sheet l0 stop .motion s Fig. 1;

' Patented Jan. 15, 1929.

en rees-runs PATENT. OFFICE.-

nnrnnn cnn'wronn, or new n wnswrcx, mwmnsny, assrsnonfro onawronn muracronma commmn'or- NEW naunswrcx, nnw JERSEY, a coarona'rxon OI NEW JERSEY.

'STOP MOTEIEON FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

Application meamv mm 2:, 192's; Serial-R0. 150,293.

' Myinvention relat'e s to stop motions for knitting machines, and especially to the type of stop motions shown and described in United States Letters Patent, of Frank fi-Grawford, Sr., No. 1,621,397, dated March 15, 1927, on which mypresent invention constitutes an. improvement. The principal object of my present invention is to add, to the mechanism disclosed in the "above mentioned application, restricting mechanism for preventing the drop wires of the stop motion from operating the triping mechanism of the stop motion when the knitting machineis stop'pedby shitt n the drivingbelt of the knitting machine rom the tight tothe loose pulley thereof, and to provide mechanism for controlling the restricting mechanism at alltimes directly fromthe belt shifter, so that the stop motion maybecome etiective' as soon as the knitting machine is again set in motion. My invention is clearly illustrated in the accomp'anying'drawings, of which: Figi-1 1s a -plan view of a portion of a owing the trip mechanism thereof, and my additional restricting mechanism applied thereto; Fig. 2 is'an-enlarged plan view slmilar to Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; a

Fig. .4 is a' sectional elevation taken on Fig. 5is a. sectional elevation taken on the line 5-5, Fi 3; y

Fi 6 and? illustrate difierent positions oigt e restraining mechanism relative to .-certain elements of the .trip mechanism of lthe'stop motion; I "Fig. 8 is an elevation of one form of control mechanism for therestraining mechanisn'i asapplied to a knitting machine of the revolving head type; i .,9 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

,Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of certain of the elements shown in Fig. 9, il-

lustrated-iin' difierent relative positions;

- Fig. .11 is a sectional elevation taken-on the line 11I1 of Fig. ,9; r .4 Fig. 12 is a.'elevation -of another form of anism as applied to 'a non revolvinghead .-type of knittmgmaqhine:

Fig. 13 is a sectional plan view taken 011 5 the 13-13zof F igr 12;

Fig. 14 is an elevation of a modified form of control mechanism for the restraining .mechauism as applied. to a revolving head type of knitting machine;

Fig. 15-is a sectional plan view taken on the line 1515 of Fig. 14; Fig. 16 is a face view of a detail of the mechanism shown in Figs. 14 and 15;

Fig. 17 is a plan view'of another modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 18 is a detailed perspective"view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 17.

My invention is applicable to knitting machines such as those illustratedin Figs. 8, 12 and 14. The machine of the rotating or revolving head type, shown inFigs. 8 and '14 comprise, in brief, a stationary frame 1 havin a cylinder 2 secured thereto, and a cam ring 3 which revolves on the frame and cylinder 2. Secured to a portion of the cam ring 3 which lies flush with the top of the stationary frame 1 is a series of upright plication, therefore, the description of elements of these stop motions and their, operation -W1l1, in the present instance, be limited tothose immedlatel co-operating with and controlled by the e ements constituting the subject of my invention. y

The lower stop motion comprises a hollow annular casing 10 having. arms. 11 extending radially therefrom. Each arm 11 iv:- o'tally supports a drop wire 12. The (32 wires each operate a rod 13 whichlexten into the hollow annular casing 10, and has a finger 14 adapted to engage a. floating ring 15 which operates the trip mechanism ofthe stop motion The annular casing 10-is provided with an enlarged circular chamber; 16 which houses the trip-mechanism. 'The trip mechanism. comprises a central spindle 17 which is di- I n p rectly connected to the mechanism which control mechanism for the restraining mechactually effects the stopping'of the knitting machine when athread breaks and releases."

.one of thetrip wires 12. This mechanism clearly set forth in the above mentioned ap- 85 l is not illustrated as it forms no part of the present invention. A partial rotationof the spindle 17 in anti-clockwise direction, under the influence of a spring (not shown), is

I sufficient-to effect the stopping of the marunning. I p The trip mechanism s set by turning chine, when an one of the drop wires'12 is released b t 1e thread that normally engages it and y the tension thereon maintains it in a'vertlcal the spindle-in 'a clockwise direction, and the spindle 17 is maintained in its set position against the action of the said sprin in 13 the following manner: Secured to the s idle 17 is a cam disc 18, on which is rotatabiy mounted a roller 19 adapted to a slot 20 in a holding lever 21, which is pivoted at 22 to Y the base of the chamber 16. The free end 50 of the holding lever 21 has a roller 23 what-- catch 28. The catch 28 ispivoted at 29 to the base of the chamber 16, and has anarm 3O engaged by 2). lug 31 on a trip lever 32.

The trip lever 32 is pivoted on. a pin 17 extending vertically from the spindle. 17.

'The trip' lever 32 is engaged by-aknocker arm 33 extendinglaterally from the ring 15."

Under normal operating conditions, the

tension on the knitting thread m (Fig. 4)

supports the drop wires 12 in the running 35 position, illustrated at a. in said figure, the

ring 15 floats freely in the annularcasing 10 (see Fig. 6), the catch-28 engages the;

shoulder 27 and thereby holds the latch 25 against movement. The latch 25 prevents to movement of the holding lever 21, which in turn keeps the cam 18 and spindle 17 from rotating. v a

When a thread breaks or becomes slack, the drop wire 12 moves to position b (Fig.

5 4) and iii so doing. turns the rod 13 :which,

release the latch 25.

through" the finger 14, moves the ring 15 in h the direction of the arrow-2, whereby the knockcr arm 33 thereon engages the trip lever 32, thereby movingthe catch 28 to Release of the latch .25 permits the holding lever' 21 to release the -cam, 18 and the spindle 17, all under the power of the spring thereof, thus effecting the stoppage of the knitting ma- 56 chine.

When the spindle 17 and the cam 18 turn to stop the machine a rise 35 on the cam engages a roller 36 on a. push back lever 37, which is pivoted at 38 to the base of the chamber 16 and has a lug 39 which engages .21 {depending projcctionefl on the ring 15,

and moves the ring in' a dircctionjoppositc to the arrow 2. Movement of the ring in this irect on reacts through the finger 14 and rods 13 to move the drop wires 12 from neeasoo position while the machine is' the tri position to the threading position 0 Fig. 4), in which they are'held by a retaining hook 41, which engages the ring projection 40. 4

The retaining hook 41 is pivoted on a pin 42 iu thebase of the chamber '16, and. is

moved into engagement with the ring projcctio'n 40 by. :1 lug 43 on a spring pressed retaining lever 44 which is pivoted to the base of thc chamber 16 at 45. I The retaining lever 44' has a roller46 which rides the high periphery of the cam 18' when the.

mechanism is set and w ich moves into a depression 47 in the n 18 when the mechanism is tripped, us allowing the retaining lcver44 to act under the influence of its spring to move the retaining hook41 into'engagement with the ring projection 40.

-lVhen the mechanism is set the retaining hook 41 is disengaged from the ring projec tion 40 by a release finger 47 on ahand plate 48 'which is pivoted at 49 to the base of the chamber 16. The release finger 47 engages a lug 50 on the retaining hook 41. The release hand 48 has a pair of vertical fingers 51, 51 which are engaged by a crank pin 52 extending from a disc 53 secured to acontrol shaft 53. The control shaft 54 is journaled in the cover .55 of the annular casing 10', and

is connected to the belt shifter of the knitting machine as will be hereinafter more full described. The retaining hook 41 is hel in engagement with the ring projection- 40, to hold the ringagainst rotation after the retaining lever moves. to release it, by a light spring. 56. I f

-After the mechanism hasbeen tripped, it is necessary to reset the mechanism, as above described, before the knitting machine canagain. be set into motion. After the resetting and before the belt shifter is operated to move the belt from the loose to the tightpulley, the trip mechanism is held against trippin by the retaining hook 41 which is not re eased until the belt shifter as been operated. -By the operation of the belt shifter, the controlshaft '54 is rotated and the crank pin 52 thereon turns the release hand and the finger 47 thereon moves theretaining hook -41 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the release position shown" in Fig. -6,.afterwhich the drop wires move from the threading position c'tothe running position b (Fig. 4).

I I Should the operator, for any reason, have tion a to the trip position 7) thereby tripping the stop motion which the operator would have to freset before he could again start the knittingmachine; Movement of the'belt shifter to the off position turns the release hand48'which permitstherciso taiziing hook'to turn under'the influence of its spring 56, but due to the fact that the ring 15 has moved slightly, .by movement of y] providinga secondhook -60,. which. I

the drop wires from the threading position to the running position, theprqection 41 thereon has moved a distance which causesthe point of. the retaininghook 41 to strike the sidejof the ring projection 40 (see Fig.

7), and therebypermit the mechanism to be. I tripped by the ring subsequently moving when the threads become slack.

I, have overcome the-above described'ob- 'ec ionable. actuation of the trip mechanism term a rest-raining .hookand which I pivot- Y ally mount on the pin 42. The-restraining hook 60 is constructed in the same manner as the retaining hook 41, with the exception that thefshoujlder 61 thereof is formed a slightly'greater distance from'the pivotalcentre 42 than the corresponding shoulder 62 of the' retaining hook 41 (see Figs. 1, 2,

. 6 and 7). By so forming the shoulders 61 Fig. 1) whereas the shoiilder 6130f the re-" straining hook 60 engages the ringfpr'ojection when the belt shifter hasfbeenmoved manually. to stop. the machinefor reasons other 'f-than a broken thread (see Fig. 7 The jestrainin'g hook fiSO-is'under control of a spring,=.63 for-movement in one direc tlon; to engage the ring projection and i1n- .der the control'of'the release finger 47 which engages a lug 64 on the book" 60. The hooks 41 and are actuated in the same general manner one tothe other, by release {l51znd.48 under control'of the control shaft .It' is d esirable .to maintain an operative mter oonnectaon-rbetween the 'controlshaft v 54. a nd the beltehifterin order that the stop motion may -become effective immediatelyafter the kmttingmachine is set in. motion,

and in Fi maintaining such interconnection v on ,a

knitting machine of the revolving-head type.

The oontrolshaftM-is. outer' end ':with a crank .70

Brovidedlatits pin 71 whic h is engagedby' a forked proection. 72 formed on a .ring 73. The ring- 3 is adapted to oscillate on a second. ring 74 an annular step formation" as secured to the spider studs. .4, in the present" instance as shown in said figure: The OS- cillating ring 73 is mounted on the tread 7 5 of the ring 74, and-.- 1s lcircularly guided in oscillation by the riser -76 of said step 1 r1ng74. The to. of the step ring 74 and the top of the osci ating'ring 73 lie flush in a hor zontaliplane. 0n the top. of the step.

aving a crank ring 74,-I mount a series of bell-crank levers' 77 pivoted zit-78 thereto. Each bellcrank lever 77 is provided with a slot 79 for the accommodation of a pin 80 which project-s vertically therethrough from the top of the oscillating ring 73. The free end 81 ofeach of the bell-cranks is formed with an arcuate edge 82.

The knitting machine has a main drive shaft- 85011 which is mounteda tight pulley 86 and a loose pulley 87 A drivingbelt 88 is adapted tobe shifted from one to the other .of these pulleys byia belt shifter 89.

The belt shifter 89 is pivoted to the frame of i the machine, and has a forked end adapted to engage the belt in the usual manner. A shift rod 90 is slidably mounted.

in the frame, and is pivoted at one end to the belt shifter and at the other end-toa' lever 91' ivoted to the frame of the machine. T e opposite end ofthe lever 91 has a slotted link 92 pivoted thereon, the,opposite slotted end of which engages a pin 93 on a lever 94 mounted onithe lower end of a vertical shaft 95 .which is pivotally mounted in a bracket 96 secured to the frame of the machine. On the upper end of the shaft 95 is secured apresser shoe 97 which has anarcuate edge 98 which is adapted to engage the arcuate edges 82 of the bell} crank levers 77 -As shown inFigs. 1 and 9', the trip mech- 'anism in the chamber 16 ,of V the annular casing 9 has been set and theretainin hook 41 'is holding the ring 15,. and the e y the ing positions. pulley 87. By moving the belt shifter 89,

to move the belt 88 onto the tight Cpulley 86 to start the machine, the shift r0 will be moved longitudinally'against the action ofthe'shift spring 99, in which position the shift rod 90 and belt shifter 89 will be main- 1tainedby'locking'mechanism (not shown) 7 which is under direct control of the t'rip spindle 17 of the stop motion. ga.=-8,- ;9,"10 and 11, I" have illushated the preferred fornrof mechanisnrfor Longitudinal movement of the shift 93, and subsequently turning the lever 94, shaft andpress'er shoe 97 into the hon shown m Fig. 1 0, whereinthe dropwires 12 are retained in thei thread- The belt 88. is on the loose 99 turns the lever 91 on its pivot, thereby .shding the slot of the link 92 on thetpin crank 1evers'.77 v have been turnedjon their 7' pivots, the ring 73 has been oscillated on .the step ring 74, by a'spring 100 arid the con u I .trol 'shaft 54 has been turned in aclockshownm 1g. 11. 'The1fixed'step-rmg741s wise direction, which, through the hand plate 48 has moved the books 41 and 60 into the position shown in'Fig. 6, and the trip .rmg 15' has been released to function innormal manner as above described. I

If he operator should again shift the belt 88 'to' the loose ulley 87, the'order ,of

osi-

an anti-clockwise direction to release the hooks 41 and 60 which would move, under the influence of their respective springs, to

the positions.shown in Fi v the retaining hook 41 stri ing the ed e'of the ring. projection 40, and the restraining hook 60 engaging the ring projection to pre- 7, the point of .vent the actuation of the trip mechanism as above described.

Upon referring to Figs. and it will be'noted that despite the rotation of the rings 73 and $4 with the knitting head ofthe macliinei'and relative to the presser shoe the hooks 41 97 an operative connection is established between the control shaft 54 and the belt shifter 89 immediately upon moving'said belt shifter to stop the machine, to release and 60 and permit them to more to their ring holding positions,'and when the belt shifter moves the belt to the tight pulley the said connection is immediately brokenand the ring 73 is oscillated in the spring. 100 9) to turn the control rod 54 in a clockwise direction to move. the hooks 41 and 60 to their ring releasing positions,.as above described. i

It, will be understood thatiin event of a broken or slack thread, the beltshifting operation is subsequent to the tripping operation, wherein the ring 15 acts to. trip the stop motion and the cam 18 is threbv turned toreturn the ring 15 and thereby drop wires 12 to the threading position, wherein the retaining hook 41 functions in holding the ring 15. v

In Figs. 12 and 13, the stop motion is shown as being applied to a knitting-machine of the non-rotating head type, and-in which the annular casing 10 re1nains-sta- The control rod 54, in tlns infied form tionarv. stance: is applied with the crank 70, and the crank pin 71 thereof is engaged by a slotted lever 101 secured to a radial shaft 102 rotatably mounted in "a bracket 96 secured to the frame of the machine. On the radial. shaft-102 is'a secondlever 103 which is enon the up or The shaft 95 is equipped with a lever 94 connected by a slotted link 92 with a lever 01 pivoted on the frame of the machine. The. lever 91" is connected by a link 90 with tllebelt shifter 89.

Movement of the belt shifter to the tight position, through the train of links and lef vers above described, rotates the control shaft 54 in a clockwise direction and movement of the shifter to the loose position rotates the control shaft 54 in a counter-clockwise direction, for the purpose hercinabovc described. .1

As shown in Figs. 14 and 15, the stop mo 'tion is applied to a rotating headtypc'of knitting machine, and the; interconnecting Each of "the yoke mechanism between the control shaft 54 and the belt shifter 89 is shown'in a modified form,- the interconnection being of an 'intermittent nature. In this instance, the rings 73 and 74 are replaced by a series of yoke heads 105,-spaced around the machine, which are adapted. to a row head 106 secured to the control shaft 54. heads 105 is pivotally mounted on a bracket 96 and is connected by a.1ink 107 with a lever 108 secured to the vertical shaft 95 in each of the brackets 96. The lowerend of each shaft 95" is rovided with a bell-crank lever 109, all of which are interconnected for synchronous movement by links 110110.' The shaft 95 in the bracket 96 lying immediately adjacent the drive shaft 85 of the machine, is provided with a lever 94* which is adapted to be engaged; by a lever 91 pivoted on the frame of the machine and controlled by the shaft rod 90 from the belt shifter 89. an opposite direction on the step ring 74 by When the belt shifter 89 is moved to the tight position, the head yokes 105 are turned on their. pivotsthereby presenting the lower be engaged by an an arm .105? of each yoke head in a positionto be,engaged by the lower edge 106 of the arrow head 106 when the machine is motion and the with the head of the machine moves in the direction indicated by the arrow 106, Fig. 16. Engagement between the edge 106*.and the arm 105 described. Movement of the control shaft 54 ina counter-clockwise direction is effected by the movement of the belt shifter to the loose position, a spring 112 turning the vertical shafts when the lever 91 moves away from the'lever 94 In Figs. f'17 and 18; I have shown-a modi 10 and 11 with the. arrow head feature shown in Figs. 14,15 and 16, the arrow heads 116 securedto short spindles 117 rotatably mounted in bearings118 formed on is provided with n gage aformed projection 120 in the movable ring 73. The control shaft with a crank 7 0 adapted to engage a forked projection 72 on the ring'73". The opera" tion of'this form of the invention is obvious in view of the description of the' combined orms above referred to, the only difference being that/in this instance but 'one bracket 96 and one yoke head 105 is employed, the

succession.

There are occasions when the belt shifter is operated to stop'the knitting machine by other than "manual si'mi ar to the manual operation, being effected by what is known to the art as an arrow heads 116 passing thisyoke in rapid of .the invention which combines the step ring feature shown in Figs. 8, 9,

54 is provided set in annular casing revolving turns the control shaft 54 in, a clockwise direction for the purposes above Each of the spindles 117 crank 1:19" adapted to en power, but in a manner osition a runnin osition or a tri ,osi-.

ti? panacea 8. In combination with a knitting machine of the rotating head type and a stop motion therefor substantially as described, said stop motion con'rprising trip mechanism rotatable with said knitting head, actuation of which causes the belt shifter of the machine to be automatically moved to a position to stop the machine when a thread becomes broken, strained or slack, said trip mechanism including drop-wires movable to a threading position, a running position or a trip position, a trip ring co-operating with said drop wires and movable to the same relative positions as said drop wires and a retaining hook adapted to engage said trip ring after it has been moved in its threading position subsequent to the tripping actuation oi'said trip mechanism; a restraining hook adapted to engage said trip ring to prevent actuation of automatically moved to a position to stop the machine when a thread becomes broken, strained or slack, said trip mechanism 1ncludmg drop-wires movable to a threading tion, a trip ring co-operating with said dro Wires and movable to the same relative pos1- tions as said drop wires and a retaining hook adapted to engage said trip ring after it has been moved to. its threading position subsequent to the tripping actuation of said trip 'mechanism; a restraining hook adapted to engage said trip ring to prevent actuation of the said trip mechanism thereby when said belt shifter is moved manually to a position. to stop the knitting machine; a control shaft;

for said retaining hook and said restraining hook rotatable bodily with said trip mecha nism; and. stationary means operable by said belt shifter for actuating said control shaft while the knitting machine is in motion.

10. In combination with a knitting machineof the rotating head type and a stop motion therefor substantially as described, said stop motion comprising tripmechanism rotatable with said knitting head, actuation of which causes the belt shifter of the machine to be automatically moved to position relative positions as said drop ,wires and a retaining hook adapted to engage said trip ring after it has been moved to its threading position subsequent to the tripping actuation of said trip mechanism; a restraining hook adapted to engage said trip ring to prevent actuation of the said trip mechanism thereby when said belt shifter is moved manually to a. position to stop the knitting machine; a control shaft for said retaining hook and said restraining hook rotatable bodily with said trip mechanism an oscillating ring for operating saidcontrol shaft; mealnson said rotating head for an porting said oscillating ring; means on sai support for operating said oscillating ring; and stationary means operable by said belt shifter for actuating said oscillating ring operating means.

11. In combination with a knitting machine of the rotating head type and a stop motion therefor substantially as described, said stop motion comprising trip mechanism rotatable with said knitting head, actuation of which causes the belt shifter of the machine to be automatically moved to a position to stop the machine when a. thread becomes broken, strained or slack, said trip mechanism including drop-wires movable to-a threading position, a running position or a trip position, a trip ring co-operating with said drop wires and movable to the same relative positions as said drop wires and a retaining hook adapted to engage said trip ring after it has been moved to its threading position subsequent to the tripping actua- I tion of said trip mechanism; a restrainlng hook adapted to engage said trip ring to prevent actuation of the said tri mechanism thereby when said belt s 'fter is moved manually to a pnsition to stop the knitting machine; a control shaft for said retaining hook and said restraining hook rotatable bodily with said trip mecha-. nism; an oscillating ring for operating said ',control shaft; a step ring secured to said rotating head. adapted to support saidoscillating ring; levers pivoted to said step ring and engaging said oscillating ring; and a stationary pivoted shoe adapted to engage said levers, operable by said belt shifter.

12. In combination with a knitting machine of the rotating head type and a stop motion therefor substantially as described, said stop motion comprising trip mechanism rotatable with said knitting head, actuation I of which causes the belt shifter oi the ma chine to be automatically moved to a position to stop the machine when a thread becomes broken, strained or slack, said trip mecha its nism including drop-wires movable to a threading position, a running position or a.

trip position, a trip ring coroperating with said drop wires and movable to'the same relative positions as said drop wires and a retaining hook adapted to engage said trip ring after it has been moved to its threading position snbscquentto the tripping actuation of said trip mechanism a. restraining hook adapted to engage said trip ring to prevent port saidoscill actuation of the said trip mechanism thereby said step ring and engaging said oscillatin when said belt shifter is moved manually to ring; a stationary pivoted shoe operable by a position to stop the knitting machine; a said belt shifter adapted to engage saidle-- 5 control shaft for said retaining hook 'and vers and thereby'rotate said control shaft said restraining hook rotatable bodily with in one direction; and resilient means for 15 said trip mechanism; anoscillating ring for i g" control Shaft in pp site ating ring; levers pivoted to 10 operating said control shaft; a step ring sedirection.

cured to saidrotating head adapted to sup- ALFRED CRAWFORD. 

